Empathy

Performance Indicators

An empathetic person...

• is self-aware and socially aware.

• continuously reflects and adjusts thinking and actions.

• listens to understand.

• seeks diverse perspectives.

• is perceptive of other people's feelings and emotional needs

• entertains complexity of lived experiences

• is an active listener

• Pays attention to the words and ideas of others

• is open-minded

• Has the ability to step into the shoes of another person

• Understands the feelings and perspectives of others.

• Uses their understanding of others to guide actions.

• Aims to connect with others by displaying curiosity about who they are in order to discover commonalities.

Overarching Understandings

• An empathetic person listens to another person with understanding, withholds judgement, considers another perspective, and is capable of deeper learning.

• An empathetic person pays attention not just to the words but also to non-verbal (e.g., tone, facial expression, body language) to better understand the speaker’s ideas and emotions.

Overarching Essential Questions

• How might my biases influence what I hear?

• Am I understanding the other person’s point of view and correctly recognizing his or her feelings or emotions?

• How might it feel to be.…?